From Forces to Freelance Creativity: Christopher’s Story

Christopher Scott took a different route into higher education – bringing real-world experience and a fresh perspective into games art.

Currently studying BA (Hons) Games Art at University Centre Grimsby, Christopher has built on a lifelong interest in creativity. As he puts it, “I have had a fascination with space, science fiction, and spacecrafts since a young boy watching Battlestar Galactica.”

A new chapter

Before starting his degree, Christopher worked with the Royal Air Force. It was during the COVID pandemic that he began thinking about a different future.

“With the extra time spent at home I decided to look into games art as a potential career,” he explains.

That decision led him to Grimsby, where he found a course that suited both his creative interests and his lifestyle.

“The course itself had more 3D elements that appealed to my art style and was primarily coursework and portfolio-based assessments which suited my learning style.”

It also meant he could continue working while studying, showing how higher education can fit around real life.

Learning to adapt

Like many students, Christopher faced challenges along the way.

“One challenge I faced was the depth of theory that surrounded games art and hard surface modelling,” he says. “I wasn’t fully aware of the background research needed to support ideas, design decisions, and even storytelling.”

He also had to adjust how he approached teamwork.

“I tended to take charge with group work at the start of the course due to my background,” he explains. “However, I have found that allowing others the opportunity to be project leader has supported their growth.”

That shift didn’t just benefit the group, it helped Christopher develop his own skills too.

“It gave me more opportunities to develop my skills within a range of software and using different techniques to match the project’s design.”

Creating meaningful work

Christopher is most proud of creating a story-driven game with multiple endings.

“I was able to fully flesh out characters and a storyline that was affected by the players’ choices,” he says. “The story itself was fun to write and see it take shape on the page.”

Alongside this, he’s developed strong technical skills, particularly in building adaptable assets.

“A skill I have developed is being able to create asset packs of modelled components that are ready to adapt and be implemented within a desired scene,” he explains.

This has helped him work more efficiently and consistently across projects, something that’s essential in the industry.

Rising to the challenge

One of Christopher’s most memorable experiences came under pressure.

“A memorable moment on my course was the unfortunate situation of being part of a reduced team within the last week before submission,” he says.

Despite the challenge, he and his teammate worked closely together to deliver the project.

“We worked consistently and collaboratively to ensure the assessment was completed and submitted in time.”

The experience pushed him to adapt and think ahead.

“It helped me to adapt to challenging situations and feel more comfortable within my build capabilities whilst under pressure.”

Support that makes a difference

Christopher credits the support from his course leader as a key part of his journey.

“He helped me by taking the time with my learning style to ensure that I can understand elements of the course,” he says.

“That support made a difference because it shows he was willing to adapt his teaching style to promote learning first hand.”

Looking ahead

Christopher is keen to keep developing his work and sharing it more widely.

“In the future, I hope to continue with my builds and gain exposure for my work,” he says.

He’s also thinking about giving back.

“I hope to achieve a return to education to teach games art to budding designers.”

Christopher’s advice

Balancing study, work and life isn’t always easy, but Christopher is clear about its value.

“Balancing work, personal life, and studying is difficult, but completely worth doing,” he says.

His advice to others is simple: “Make time for self-care and protect your mental wellbeing.”